Don Martin. How appropos that fauxklore would pick this image on this day, of all days? I say this because this userpic is a picture of a character drawn by Don Martin, the artist from Mad Magazine. January 31st is a day that, for the longest time, honored Mr. Martin’s creation. In the 1963 Signet paperback original, DON MARTIN BOUNCES BACK!, there is a story starring Fester Bestertester and his pal Karbuncle, called, fittingly enough, “National Gorilla Suit Day”. To celebrate National Gorilla Suit Day, the tradition is to dress up in a gorilla suit and make a door-to-door trek around the neighborhood. But as Fester Bestertester noted, “Everybody knows it’s just a ploy by the gorilla suit companies to sell their products!”

So, this userpic remains to honor Don Martin, National Gorilla Suit Day, and all the Fester Bestertesters of the world.

Tombstones. This picture was adapted from a picture of Civil War Tombstones, and is used for posts where I am either discussing recent obituaries or death. I find obituaries interesting, primarily because the human mind tends to detect patterns in death, and seems to group them in threes. Thus, the death trifecta is born… building a strong of three related deaths.

Edward-Littlehazy. Edward is a representative of a series of cartoons I drew in high school and college called “The Droopouts”. Edward was a professor at Droopouts University. He is a more generic icon (and one I don’t use all that often, as I should really redraw him or use a scan instead). I think he sorta looks like me.

Now, on to the interests. All three were picked the last time I did this meme:

As a member of the legendary “Stone Poneys,” Shep Cooke performed with Linda Ronstadt for several years – from high school days thru network appearances on Joey Bishop and Johnny Carson (he played bass). Shep has done guitar and vocal work on major album releases by Tom Waits, the Floating House Band and Linda Ronstadt, as well as featured solo act appearances in concerts with Roger Miller, Marty Robbins, Tanya Tucker, Tom Waits, John David Souther and others.

I saw Shep many many years ago at McCabes, and I still love his albums. He hasn’t done anything in years.

zen driving. Have you ever gotten in a car and driven, just for the fun of it. Just to see where the road takes you. That’s zen driving, and its just wild fun to do. Pick a street near you, and drive it end to end. Make a right, and keep going. Take that side road… you’ll never know what you might find.

Going around Facebook (quite heavily) is the following meme: “Rules: Once you’ve been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it’s because I want to know more about you.” Well, I’ve done a number of memes about myself, and I don’t really feel creative enough to do this one. So you can go through the archives.

That said, I would like to resurrect one of the memes I did find in that list:

Make a comment in this entry. I’ll go to your profile, pick 3 userpics and interests , and then you explain them in your journal.

But then I realized, tomorrow is too important a day for ephemera like News ChumTM. So, instead, I’ll remind everyone to vote tomorrow. I’ll remind you that I’ve posted my analysis of the candidates and the issues on my ballot… and I’ll urge those of you in California to vote No on 8, No on 4, and for all US voters to vote for the Obama/Biden ticket.

The First Vote Meme

Lastly, however, I would like to pass on a meme. We’re all emphasizing the importance of voting in this election — however you decide the issues, it is important for you to vote. So think back to the first time that you voted. You have been doing it since you turned 18, haven’t you? Now, think about where your first polling place was, or the first one you can remember. Find it on Google Maps (street view is possible)… and tell us when, where, and provide a link.

Do you have the guts to answer these questions and re-post as The Controversial Survey? To answer, yes. Repost, yes. Calling them controversial is a bit of an overstatement.

Would you do meth if it was legalized? I can see no benefit from doing so.

Abortion: for or against it? The right to have one should be there. I think whether to do so is an individualized decision between the mother and father, based on the circumstances in their lives. (ETA: Note that, ultimately, it is the mother’s decision — that is, the father has a voice but not a veto).

Do you think the world would fail with a female president? No. A stupid president, yes.

Do you believe in the death penalty? Yes, in some cases, presuming guilt is absolutely proven, and depending on the nature and characteristics of the crime.

Do you wish marijuana would be legalized already? Legalize it, tax it, and restrict the ability to smoke it in public.

Are you for or against premarital sex? I have no problem regarding sex between physically, emotionally, and mentally mature individuals, who are aware of what they are doing and potential consequences of their actions. I do have a problem when sex is used as a weapon to hurt others, as it far too often is.

Do you believe in God? There are times I am in awe at the wonder that is our world. I can respect any process that creates it. Is that God? Sometimes I think it is.

Do you think same sex marriage should be legalized? I think that personal partnerships are recognized by the state should not be driven by any discriminatory factors, be they race, religion, gender, or number. “Marriage” is an overloaded word defined by religions, and if a particular religion wants to reserve its blessing, it is not our place to interface… but that shouldn’t stop the state from recognizing the relationship and giving it equal rights.

Do you think it’s wrong that so many Hispanics are illegally moving to the USA? I think it is wrong that we focus on illegal immigration of hispanics and no other group. I also think “wrong” is the incorrect term. There is legal and illegal immigration, and I think we need to correct our arcane immigration laws. Of course, with the way our finances are going, those coming here may soon be thinking twice!

A twelve year old girl has a baby, should she keep it? Is she emotionally mature? Does she have a suitable support system? (ETA: Is she physically mature for whatever answer is chosen?) Answer those questions, and I’ll answer you.

Should the alcohol age be lowered to eighteen? We shouldn’t use age as a factor: it should be emotional maturity. I know folks in their 50s that aren’t mature enough to handle booze.

Should the war in Iraq be called off? What, like a light switch? No. Yes, there should be disengagement, but it must be done orderly. One can’t just leave the battlefield — that will make the situation worse.

Assisted suicide is illegal: do you agree? Again, this is really a case by case basis. If you know the person requested is emotionally secure and mentally stable and the request is current, I wouldn’t have a problem with it. It is a decision that requires 100% surety, for one cannot go back from it.

Do you believe in spanking your children? When appropriate. There’s a difference between a swat on the tush and a beating. Beating no. A non-damaging swat to get their attention before they run into the street to get hit by a car, yes.

Would you burn an American flag for a million dollars? No. Money isn’t the factor. Flag burning is a speech issue, and it would completely depend on what I was trying to say. But for profit, no.

Who do you think would make a better president? McCain or Obama? Obama. See what I said above about emotional maturity.

Are you afraid others will judge you from reading some of your answers? I will be judged, especially this week, for whatever I do.

Instructions:
* Take a picture of yourself right now. Don’t change your clothes, don’t fix your hair – just take a picture.
* Post that picture with NO editing.
* Post these instructions with the picture.

You are… 5% unique (blame, for example, your interest in ucla computer club) and 12% herdlike (partly because you, like everyone else, enjoy theatre). When it comes to friends you are popular. In terms of the way you relate to people, you are keen to please. Your writing style (based on a recent public entry) is intellectual.

Your overall weirdness is: 47

(The average level of weirdness is: 28.You are weirder than 87% of other LJers.)

Instructions: Go over to Wikipedia and enter the day you were born [such as “June 1”] and then pick 3 events, 2 births, 2 deaths and 1 holiday that occurred on your birthday.

Events
1793 – After being found guilty of treason by the French Convention, Louis XVI of France was executed by the guillotine.
1948 – The Flag of Quebec is adopted and flown for the first time, over the National Assembly of Quebec. The day is marked annually as Quebec Flag Day.
2008 – The Eyak language in Alaska becomes extinct as its last native speaker dies.